True Love
by SilverWind9
Summary: The result of a ZeLinker asked to write MaLink.


Note: Hilo everybody, this is my first fanfic, so please don't massacre me. Comments and advice are appreciated though. ^_^ *giggles* If anybody wants to know, Ranchshipper and Sageshipper are two terms commonly used at the forums I usually visit. (If you're interested in going there, just see my profile.) ^_^  
  
Ranchshipper = Malon/Link  
  
Sageshipper = Zelda/Link  
  
I'm a crazed Zelink person and I would never have written a Malink one if my boyfriend (Malon/Link person, of course) hadn't asked me to. ^_~ *giggles* Ah well, so I did try my best with it, and to allow Zelda to be a prominent character in the story while not being a pain in the behind like she is in some other fics I've read. It's just mushy romance, so be warned. *giggles* Anyways, feel free to comment, and for the rest of you Zelink people out there, don't worry, all the future fics I'll write will be Zelda/Link unless it's not at all possible. (Then expect Link to be single! XD)  
  
Please enjoy,  
  
SilverWind (Silvie-chan! ^__^)  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Would do anything for the one you love?  
  
Live for them, kill for them... Die for their sake?  
  
Give up your life, your soul... Would you give up your own love for them? Would you give them themselves?  
  
Let them love another, because you know they will be happier? Because you are sure, as much as you love them... that they would be better off with someone else?  
  
How could you stand the feeling... loving someone with all your heart, and letting them go... The pain and jealousy you feel at their happiness, the joy knowing that the one you love is in bliss... To let go of the thing dearest in life to you.  
  
Could you stand such a thing? Would you really sacrifice your life for them? Give up a happy life, so they could live one?  
  
That in itself, is the ultimate love.  
  
~~~~~  
  
A narrow shaft of sunlight shone from the one tiny window in the room. From where she was standing, she could just see the faintest tinge of green grass and blue sky. She stared at it again, gave a small sigh, and glanced around at her strange surroundings.  
  
The room she was in was entirely carved out of solid marble. Fancy carvings were carved into the swirling stone walls. It was elegant and beautiful... but cold. A slight spark of regret rippled through her as she realized there were no doors leading to the outside. She walked over to where the sunlight danced on the floor, and stood in its welcome warmth.  
  
A light breeze blew from the window, tickling her senses. It tempted her, made her wander up and press her hands against the smooth marble walls, desperate, searching for a possibility of freedom.  
  
The tips of her fingers brushed against the very edge of the windowsill. She strained once more, stretching to her full extent, but she knew that her efforts were futile. One tiny centimeter was all the difference. A finger's width was all that prevented her from being able to hoist herself up to the window, to the outside. She slumped back down to the floor, all hopes of escape gone.  
  
Locked in a beautiful prison, in a tomb... So, this was where she had to spend the rest of her life. Dark, cold, and all alone... forever with the sight of an impossible dream, freedom, shining above her...  
  
There was a sudden movement at the windowsill, a faint whirring of sound. For one brief moment, she could only see the faint silhouette of the being that had caused the small noise. Then, when she raised her hand in beckoning and wonder, the creature jumped into her outstretched palms.  
  
A green gem, an emerald. It quivered and shook, and was warm, full of life. It was a tiny bird, with feathers tipped as green as the great crowns of the trees in the wild. Its very touch was electrifying, and a surge of energy and light flashed within her as soon as she came into contact. The gloominess and darkness of the room was instantly dispelled. The bird had clever, intelligent eyes, which made her smile slightly.  
  
And then it burst into song.  
  
Its voice, its melody sent her into pure ecstasy. She held the bird close to her heart, enraptured by its voice. And she knew, deep inside, that she would not be miserable if it stayed with her, by her side.  
  
But it still was a bird, a wild creature. It still had its wings, and it still had its freedom...  
  
A wave of envy washed over her, and then another one of shame. The bird could still fly, fly out of the room, into the outside. Could she, did she have any right to lock it up with her in this gloomy room?  
  
It would stay, for her, if she wanted it to. She could use force, or its sense of sympathy, and the bird would live for her, make her happy. But she knew it would suffer from the darkness, from the cold and misery of being walled up. Yes, it belonged outside, in teh sunlight and wind.  
  
Outside, in freedom. A freedom she could never know. If only, if only she had wings like that bird, and could soar away...  
  
Tears glistened in her eyes as she lifted the small bird in her hands. She gave it a light kiss, and raised it upwards, towards the window. With a slight hesitation and a look of gratitude, the emerald feathered creatures spread its wings... and flew away.  
  
Flew away, along with her hopes of joy and company, and of easing the loneliness... She was truly empty now. A creature that knew pain all their lives knew of no other feeling existing, and the pain is not so terrible. But for one to know bliss, and then return to the pain and misery... Then the suffering is more horrible than ever.  
  
She collapsed to the floor, crying and shaking. She knew something had been carved out of her soul, and her spirit had been torn to shreds. But her heart... her heart was swelling, full of love and bitter happiness, for she knew she had done the right thing. The bird would have freedom, and happiness...  
  
She glanced up weakly at the window again, and whispered quietly, to herself, and to the emptiness around her.  
  
"Farewell, my friend...and thank you for the brief joy you brought to my life. I shall always remember this brief moment in time, and cherish it..."  
  
~~~~~  
  
In the chilliness of the pre-dawn, the Princess of Hyrule woke up abruptly in her grand bedroom. She sat up and sighed, brushing the faint beads of sweat off her forehead. Another dream. Zelda could still recall some parts of it. A lonely room... a window, and an emerald bird... She frowned, a slight crease that cut through her soft and delicate features. It had not been an overly disturbing dream--certainly not frightening, compared to some that she had dreamt before in the past. But still, a strange sense of foreboding kept her nervous inside. The fact that every single dream in her life was a prophetic message did not help ease her mind.  
  
She could not sleep anymore.  
  
Zelda sighed again, and climbed reluctantly out of her bed. Her white silk nightgown brushed quietly against the floor as she made her way to the other side of the room. There, a large full-length mirror was hanging on the wall, and a small table stood to its left, with her day's clothes set down upon it. Zelda placed one hand against the cold surface of the mirror, and gazed inside curiously.  
  
Reflected back at her was a willowy young woman, rather pale but still quite beautiful. She looked like a child, standing all alone in the dark, in a room that dwarfed the living quarters of a small family of four. Her light blue eyes were intelligent and inquisitive, her golden blonde hair was as fine as spun flax. She was still in her blush of youth, although her womanly body informed her that she had changed much from the little princess she had been years ago.  
  
Automatically, Zelda began to take off her gown and change into her royal garments. Her movements were quick and businesslike, as if she was a puppet controlled by some master, or an actor who had rehearsed too many times. Undergarments. Stockings. Slippers. Shirt. Dress. Belt. Earrings. Tiara. Gloves. Each was added to her body, an assortment of clothes, until she was a doll, fully clothed and ready for the day ahead. Zelda glanced into the mirror for one last check. The little girl who was peering out a minute ago was hidden, forced under a heavy pile of finery. The body was tensed and restrained, and what remained was only the shining pair of inquisitive eyes. But Zelda had no time to think about that. The sun had begun to rise, and the normal castle bustle and noise had begun. She straightened her hair, and exited out of the room. There were many things to do.  
  
~~~~~  
  
At the south-eastern border of Hyrule Field, one lone traveler could be seen walking slowly from amid the trees, where the edge of the forest met with the clear grassy plains. The person was donned in green cap and tunic, and he was none other than the famed--or rather, the unknown, ever since time had been turned back-- Hero of Time. He had been up an hour ago, traveling from his small home in the woods to the clearing where he was standing now.  
  
Link reached to his side with his left hand, felt the smooth clay surface of the object he was searching for. The Ocarina of Time, which Zelda had entrusted him with several years ago. He brought the small instrument to his mouth, and played a strain of a familiar melody. Then he placed the ocarina back down, and waited.  
  
From the distance, hooves could be heard cantering onto the ground. Link turned to his left a bit, towards the direction of the sound and saw Epona galloping towards him. He held out a hand and when she arrived, patted her neck gently. Then he climbed on, and let her travel at an easy pace. He had promised to visit both of his best friends today, but they lived a slight distance apart, and he hadn't decided which order to visit them.  
  
"Where should we go first today, Epona?"  
  
He could either head left or right, towards the castle or the ranch. Of course, Epona couldn't answer him, but continued straight ahead. Link thought a bit. Something inside him told him to head left, to go to the ranch first and see what Malon was up to. He shook his head, and thought about his other option. Zelda usually had a short break from her meetings in the afternoon, and it'd be best if he could catch her before the daily evening dinner party. She would probably be stressed from working too hard, and he felt a sense of duty to protect her, cheer her up. He decided to go right.  
  
"It's still a distance to go, Epona, and we want it to be afternoon still when we go to see the princess. So we'd best hurry, alright girl?"  
  
Epona neighed, and Link guided her into a brisk trot towards the northwest, to the castle town.  
  
~~~~~  
  
When the sun's first rays began to peek from behind Death Mountain, Malon had awoken and risen from her bed. She dressed quickly, practically flinging on her clothes, and tripping on her dress in her haste. The ranch- girl was still pulling on her boots when racing down the stairs from her room, her long red hair flying backwards in her hurry.  
  
Malon had overslept--normally, she was up before the sun was. Today was the worst day to be late, since she was expecting a visitor. She had wanted to finish her chores ahead of time, and now she sought to catch up to her lost time. Malon grabbed the bucket filled with cucco feed, woke up the sleeping cucco, and gently shooed them outdoors. There, by the lone tree beside the house, she scattered out their meal. After dusting off her apron, Malon headed to the large stables beside her house. There were quite a few chores to do in the morning, and there was no time to rest.  
  
As soon as she opened the stable doors, the horses greeted her a welcome whinny. Malon cheered up considerably, forgetting her eagerness to rush through her tasks. Her favourite part of the ranch was with her horses. She patted each of them on the head, and then bravely took her pitchfork and divided up their hay. It was grueling work, one that Mr. Ingo usually took care of, but today both he and her dad had gone out to deliver shipments of their milk. Lon Lon milk had grown popular over the last few years, and they now had dozens of customers that demanded weekly deliveries of their products.  
  
Malon walked around the stables again, this time filling the empty troughs of each of the stalls with water. She worked quickly, only pausing for a moment to gaze at her reflection in one of them. The girl inside made a face as she realized that a few strands of hay had worked into her wavy red hair. She now removed them, and lightly combed through the rest of her hair with her fingers. Large and blue eyes searched critically for some other fault, but after being unsuccessful they twinkled merrily again. Her widely famed smile added the final touch to a perfect image. She poured the rest of the water in, and put her bucket away.  
  
Aside from the two empty stalls of the horses her dad had taken to deliver the milk, there was just one empty space left in the stables. Malon paused and allowed herself a bit of time to glance at it and reflect. The stall had once belonged to her favourite horse, one that she had loaned to a certain person several years ago. Epona. Fairy Boy. Malon smiled as she headed out of the stables. He would be visiting today. Link had promised, and he had never broken his word before.  
  
Malon walked slowly across the ranch grounds, over to the large building at the very end of the ranch. Her eyes were half closed and unconsciously she had begun to hum her mother's song, while a small smile danced on her lips. She only focused half her mind as she fed and then milked the cows, as the other half of her mind had become lost in a personal daydream.  
  
Malon would have headed back to the house, still wrapped up in her dreams, except that in the corner of her eye, she noticed something that both her dad and Mr. Ingo had not seen earlier in the morning. Three large crates of milk sat forlornly in the corner of the room, ones that the other ranchers had obviously forgotten to deliver. With one hand, Malon brushed the dirt covering the sides of one of the crates, checking for whom they had to be delivered to. In tiny and neat handwriting on the side of the crate--her own--was inscribed: To Hyrule Castle.  
  
The ranch-girl groaned good naturedly, and spoke out loud to herself. "Great, of all the people to forget, dad has to leave out the King..." Malon giggled cheerfully as she tried to tug a crate outdoors. The royal cooks were all very picky, and wouldn't be happy if their delivery was late. She would hitch up the horses and deliver them to the castle herself.  
  
Malon glanced northwards, where she could just faintly see the spires of Hyrule Castle gleaming against the sunlight. Few people realized how tiring living on a farm could be. She was sure it was more tiring than the lives the merchants and tradesmen lived out each day. And certainly it was more stressful than the luxurious castle life that the royal family had. She held her wishful glance at the castle for one last second, and then commenced on her tasks again.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Zelda sighed tiredly as she paced down a hallway inside of Hyrule Castle. It was one of the smaller paths, with small windows letting in tiny shafts of sunlight through the think stone walls. Faint dark rings had formed around her eyes, and her mouth was slightly hoarse from talking too much. One of the worst things about being in her position was that her mind and senses had long been exhausted over reading dozens of letters, laws, amendments and proposals sent in by different people, as well as being held in the many discussions with her councilors, meetings with different ambassadors and the several audiences with unsatisfied people from across her kingdom, but her body still had a lot of energy. Pent up energy that raged inside her, trying to make her move, make her yell, make her run screaming down the hall. She restrained herself and continued slowly walking aimlessly down the hall.  
  
She paused before one of the small windows, glancing outdoors into the light. The window was directly above the entrance of the castle, where several horses and carriages were coming and going, along with several people rushing all over the place. At the sight of these people, and of the long and winding path leading from the rest of the world to her doors, a sudden reminder dawned inside the princess' mind, which made her smile. Link. He would be visiting today.  
  
In an instant, it seemed as if all the weight that had burdened Zelda's body had disappeared into thin air. She raced down the hall, no longer brooding like an old woman, but as cheerful as a small child again. Link. Out of all the pain and torture she had endured, Link was the only one who could make her feel this way. She had come to terms long ago with her feelings for the Hero of Time, had known from the first instant her eyes had looked into his. If anyone could had seen Zelda now, with the beaming smile on her face, and known the reason for her happiness, they would all have guessed what the princess had realized so long ago in her heart.  
  
Zelda headed into her room, and grabbed only a simple cloak of light gray to protect herself from the temperamental weather, as well as to keep herself hidden from bothersome eyes. She then dashed towards the entrance of the castle, down several flights of twirling stairs, ignoring the various maids, courtiers and annoying councilors she met along the way. She had put on the cloak and pulled the hood over her face, so that her royal attire had been hidden. The guards at the entrance and at the large hall did not recognize her, and therefore did not attempt to salute or to halt her. Zelda headed into the sunlight, down the cobbled path that led to the gateway of her castle. She would wait and surprise Link there.  
  
The wind was gentle, bringing the scent of flowers to Zelda's nose. The sunlight was brilliant against the stones, almost to the point of becoming uncomfortable. Zelda began to close her eyes as she walked along, and would have gone right past the wagon cart if she had not heard a high voice call out for assistance.  
  
"Excuse me please... could you give me a hand?" Zelda reopened her eyes and glanced towards the source of the voice. It was the driver of the cart, a girl with an uncommon shade red hair, who appeared to be around the same age she was. By asking her for assistance, Zelda supposed that the girl had no idea of her true identity. Pleased with herself--she always had a knack and a pride for her disguises--the princess decided to stick to her role, and walked over to the cart. She now noticed that a crate had toppled out of the back, either because of the bend in the road, or because the driver had been going too fast. The contents of several bottles had been spilled, and the white liquid inside was now draining away into the dirt. Without hesitation, Zelda began to help the girl pick up the shattered jars from the ground.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Malon silently scolded herself as she picked up the second cracked jar. Nearly one entire crate of their delivery had been ruined. The castle cooks wouldn't be pleased, and her father and Mr. Ingo wouldn't be too delighted either. In front of her, the stranger picked up the last broken bottle, and placed it onto the top of the forlorn crate. The box itself, along with one or two forlorn jars were still all right. Thank goodness. Malon turned to the person who had helped her out. She attempted a smile, and dipped into a polite curtsy.  
  
"Thank you for your effort, stranger." She couldn't quite see the person's face, since it was shrouded in the darkness of hood of the cloak, but she could from its shape that it was a woman. The fine quality of the stranger's robes made her suspect that she was perhaps a count's daughter, or a child of some other wealthy family.  
  
"...You're welcome..." The person replied. Her voice was slightly muffled, and sounded very low. Did she have a sore throat, or was she trying to fake her voice? Malon tried not to be suspicious or rude, although she was itching to ask.  
  
After an odd moment of silence in which her helper did not speak out again, Malon tried striking up a conversation to fill in the gap. "I didn't catch your name, ma'am..."  
  
The stranger coughed and mumbled incoherently. It was obvious that she was trying to hide her identity, but it would be rude to ask again. Malon kept up her smile, although by now it looked slightly forced, had a stretchable quality to it. Conversations weren't usually this hard to start, but she was determined to have the stranger warm up. Malon tried again.  
  
"I'm here to deliver some milk to the castle. What are you doing here today?" She saw the cloaked woman pause and tilt her head slightly, as if she was trying to gather the correct words to speak.  
  
"...I'm waiting for a ...friend... named Link..." The stranger's voice had gone an octave higher for some strange reason--maybe at the mention of this subject, she had forgotten about disguising her voice? Malon didn't really notice this new quirk though, as she was still pondering the words the other woman had spoken. So Fairy Boy had promised to visit this strange damsel as well? There was an odd tone in the woman's voice at the word 'friend', which worried her secretly inside.  
  
"You know Fairy Boy well?" After another minute of silence, Malon realized that the woman couldn't possibly know of the personal nickname she had given her best friend. She hastily tried to explain. "Link, I mean."  
  
The hooded woman stepped forward a few steps to glance at Malon closely. Even though she could not see the stranger's eyes, she could feel their piercing gaze trying to gauge her, judge her worthiness. "Yes, I have known him for quite a few years. He is your ...friend too?"  
  
"Yes, he is my ...friend." Malon suddenly realized that both she and the other woman had a hidden message underneath those words, that both of them had the same meanings buried underneath. Prehaps the stranger realized this too. She frowned, and felt the other woman return the frown. They glared at each other now, unblinkingly, one face illuminated in the sun, the other shrouded in darkness.  
  
Their mental combat was only broken when the cloaked woman turned her back to Malon, and looked to the ground. She was whispering softly, almost pleadingly. "You can't have him, you know. He means too much to me."  
  
"And you think he doesn't mean a thing to me? I love him too!" She could feel her temper rising, the strong flash of temper that her dad had loved to tease about. She knew that the other woman was being silly, that she was being immature as well, and that they both were having a pointless quarrel. It would be up to Link to decide. This fact only made her face turn redder, increased her anger more greatly. In an effort to vent her frustration, Malon continued to speak, her voice rising along with her colour, until she was almost spitting out the words. "And you, little doll, you're most likely just some spoiled rich girl. You have never gone through the tiring routines of farm life, have never been stranded working labourous hours at your home, never even dirtied those weak white hands of yours. You're just selfish and stuck up, wanting more and more things that you don't own already own, thinking it's your own privileged right!"  
  
In the silence that ensued, Malon knew that she had struck a nerve. A thin and lithe gloved hand reached out of the cloak and quivered into a fist. But when the woman spoke again, her voice was still quiet, still quite calm, although it was wavering slightly.  
  
"You have no idea how exhausting my life is, farm girl. I may not work as physically hard as you do, but I doubt you have had to make the decisions that I have had to do, and have felt the torture of the mind from the consequences that follow. But even though we are different here...." She paused, and turned to glance at Malon again. "Perhaps, perhaps we are more similar than you think. Both you and I depend on Link, don't we? ...And both of us love him. But..." Here the stranger paused yet again, breathing in quick and shallow breaths that was still evident under the cloak she was wearing. "But... I beg of you. Let him go. Please. There is no one else I can depend on, no one else who has felt my pain... No one else who remembers the past..." Her voice finally broke down, but Malon still could not feel any sympathy. What kind of a person would beg another to stop loving? What could she possibly expect? The stranger's weakness only strived to make Malon's temper rise.  
  
"You just want to add him to the list of people you have used and had fun with. I'll never concede, I'll never give in to your silly pleading. Who do you think you are, the Princess of Hyrule?  
  
The shrouded woman shook again, and with her quivering gloved hand pulled off the hood that had disguised her face. Although she still remained determined to stand for her cause, Malon's resolute eyes widened in surprise and her anger melted into shock and embarrassment.  
  
It was the Princess Zelda. Tears were flowing down the princess' face openly, and she was pale and shaking. Shaking as if there was something inside her that fought to escape, something that wanted to give out a cry of rage or despair, but was prevented by years of control and restraint. The princess shook again, and leaned her hand against the long forgotten milk crate that lay on the ground. Although her eyes had released those crystal tears just a few moments ago, they were ice cold when they stared at Malon, and glimmered of hate and disgust. Although the rest of the princess had broken down, was weakened, her eyes and her mind remained strong. After taking several choking breaths, Zelda pointed one shaking hand south, back towards the town.  
  
"Go. Just go."  
  
Another strained breath, this time with a gasp of pain at the end. "You will have your things returned to you tomorrow. Leave now."  
  
Malon wobbled slightly, still dazed, and forced herself into a quick curtsey. She then inched away and then began running back to the town, back to her ranch, paying no heed that she had left behind her wagon and the two horses hitched to it. The farm girl did not turn once to look back at the scene she had departed, or else she would have noticed the princess collapse onto the dirt path and begin sobbing, still quietly, into her hands.  
  
~~~~~  
  
She was all by herself in the small courtyard. All by herself, and it was quiet. It allowed her to think.  
  
The castle courtyard was a place of comfort for her, a place she had come often to in the past, when she had tedious problems to weigh in her mind. This was one of the only places in the castle that was outdoors, which had the fresh smell of flowers that could ease her heart. However, today the colours of the different plants seemed to have faded, and they seemed to have lost their scent.  
  
Zelda had a sensible mind, was complimented for her intelligence as much as for her delicate beauty. Her wisdom and knowledge had allowed her to stay alive for seven non-existent years of terror, had given her the Triforce of Wisdom, had allowed her to help defeat the Evil King. Now all her wits gathered together, analyzing her situation and her options. She weighed all the things in her mind, tried to find the best solution to approaching the problem. The many thoughts in her mind solidified to one sentence, one simple goal.  
  
She would make Link stay with her.  
  
Zelda knew Link was devoted to her, considered himself her loyal knight. They had fought through much together, and she knew his personality down to the smallest centimetre. Link had always done what he thought was right, and was bound by his own code of chivalry to offer his assistance when confronted by a desperate plead. It was what made him the famed Hero of Time, and along with his honesty, and the magical ability to make her feel happy, it was why she loved him.  
  
Love. Zelda shook inwardly with shock and disgust at herself as she realized what she had been planning to do. Love, how could she do this to her love? Were all her horrible goals meant to force her love into a trap, into what she wanted? Yes, these plans were too drastic, and much too selfish. The instincts that had aided her to rule a kingdom now worked against her mind, chiding her for her greedy thoughts. Her actions must be just, had to be equal to all members involved, with her own feelings set to the same value as theirs. All had to be fair, even though she wanted to be biased, wanted to have Link to love at any costs. She would do what was right. Link would decide his own future.  
  
The tears welled up again, ones frustrated at her sense of justice, at herself. Her mind, her common sense informed the rest of herself that she would not survive without Link's presence, and continued to point to her the easy route to win his devotion. But her heart forbade her to be cruel, to start using people like she had seen so many rulers do. So Zelda cried quietly to herself, cried because she was being torn in two, between choosing what she really wanted, and what she knew was right.  
  
~~~~~  
  
It had taken him nearly half a day as usual, but Link had finally arrived at Hyrule Castle Town. Epona's hooves rung loudly against the cobblestones of the busy marketplace, and Link had to slow her down to avoid bumping into the many pedestrians that crowded all around the square. He was so focused on avoiding the restless crowds that he failed to notice one red- haired farm-girl that was waving to him from nearby, until she called out his name.  
  
"Fairy Boy! ...Fairy Boy? Hey, Link!"  
  
The voice finally registered in his mind, and Link quickly stopped Epona and turned his head to the direction of the sound. A brief search located the slender form of the caller, and his eyes locked into a gaze with her deep blue ones. Along with her eyes, Malon's dazzling smile teamed up to give him a rush of familiar happiness. How could he have been away from her for nearly a month?  
  
"Oh... hello, Malon." He managed to stumble out quickly. He took a deep breath, and his senses kicked in again, informing him of his whereabouts. The marketplace. Heading to Hyrule Castle. Link could feel his cheeks turn slightly red. Malon must be confused or perhaps suspicious about meeting him in the marketplace when he had promised to visit her today at the ranch. And if she asked why he was here, his answer would most likely not please her either. His thoughts seemed to transfer from his mind right into hers.  
  
"Fairy Boy, oh goodness, I haven't seen you for such a long time! ...What are you doing here?"  
  
His mind scrambled for the answer that would be the most courteous and least hurtful. Unable to find one, Link decided to choose the one that came the quickest to mind--the blunt truth.  
  
"I'm going to see the Princess Zelda."  
  
Why did his voice sound so cold? He supposed that if he tried to put any feeling into his words, his heart might spasm worse than it what it was doing right now. Why? Link saw Malon's cheerfulness drain out of her looks, her face turning pale at first, and then a bright red. Was she angry at what he said? At any rate, he knew she was heartbroken. Malon glanced away, breaking off their eye contact. She looked so hurt from his words--more than he'd expected--that Link scrambled for an explanation.  
  
"She's always under a lot of stress from dealing with Kingdom affairs, Malon."  
  
It sounded apologetic, pathetic, yet he tried to continue on, tried to explain that he wanted to be with her, but why he had to go to Zelda instead. His voice was pleading her to understand. "She needs me more."  
  
"Oh, I see..." Her voice was quiet, defeated. She didn't try to meet his eyes anymore.  
  
Link sat in silence for a brief moment, pondering on what he could do or say. An idea flashed in his mind and after one last apologetic glance he set it into motion. Without even waiting for a goodbye, Link patted Epona and made her set off quickly towards the path to Hyrule Castle. He knew it would be worse for the both of them if he looked back.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Slowly and heartlessly, Malon somehow made her way out of the busy marketplace and back to her home at the ranch. Her face was still scrunched up into a deep red colour that had been fixed on when she had met Link in the marketplace. She felt that if she dared open her eyes any wider than the smallest fraction of a hair, tears would come spilling out. So without looking or concentrating on where she was going, Malon slowly wandered into the stables, a place of safety she had often come whenever she felt agitated. With a small sigh, she dropped herself on the small mattress bed.  
  
All she wanted to do was cry, to be alone and cry to herself, but her spirit was quite different from her fragile mind. Her tears were restrained by the anger and frustration she felt inside, summoned up by her sense of justice and how it was being broken. It was like the future that had never occurred, the ranch-girl standing in the stables--unable to do anything but follow the path fate had given her, but unwilling to cry, to admit defeat. Malon sighed to herself, and with her exhaled breath, voiced a single quiet word.  
  
"Why?"  
  
This simple question, the thought that had been plaguing her mind for the entire day, was now addressed to the air, to the horses that were unable to voice a reply. Deep inside, she knew how Link felt, although he had never admitted it to her out loud. She knew how she felt, and was certain it was the same thing. Why couldn't they be together, then? Was necessity, loyalty and dedication really more valuable than love? Once again, she answered her own question.  
  
"No... it isn't fair at all. Love is more important than anything else. ...But this is what Link has chosen."  
  
She accepted his decision, did not hate him for it. Even though it was unfair to her, she knew that he was under as much pain and pressure she was. It was caused by his sense of righteousness, of self-sacrifice and of helping those in need before he could enjoy his own life. It was why she had loved him in the first place. Her anger drained away, along with most of her sadness. She loved him all the more for his decision.  
  
An ordinary girl who had reached these conclusions would have given up. But as Malon closed her eyes and hugged her knees tightly to her chest, a small grim and determined smile appeared at the corners of her mouth. She would wait to see what would happen, to see the outcomes before she admitted defeat. She was different.  
  
Malon had hope.  
  
She kept on believing it would turn out right.  
  
~~~~~  
  
As he rode down the long and tidy path to the castle, Link received shouts of greetings from soldiers, guards that would have tossed him out of the castle in the past. He had visited the castle many times already, and although they did not realize he was the Hero of Time, they knew Link was a man of good character, and that Zelda was fond of him.  
  
"Hello again, Sir Link. Come to see the Princess again?" The soldier at the entrance winked to Link as he slowly opened the gates. Link nodded briefly, hoping he didn't turn red in the face. Did they have to tease him for just dropping by for a visit? His shy and modest personality made him an easy target for friendly jokes around the castle. When the iron rails of the gate were pulled aside, Link patted Epona's flank, telling her to hurry on.  
  
There were several advantages of being recognized by the guards--not being chased off of the grounds or charged at with their weapons was one--but there were also several disadvantages. Now that he was familiar to them, Link didn't feel it would be polite to go to Zelda the quick and sneaky route he had used to take when he was a child--Link doubted he could fit in the tiny water gate anyway. He had to arrive at the main entrance, dismount Epona and entrust her to a stable-hand, enter the stuffy castle and become burdened with dozens of conversations from various people, until he managed to lose their interest or actually lose themselves through the colossal rooms of the castle.  
  
Link sighed with relief when he finally walked through the doorway leading to the outdoors. It was much quieter outside, had the familiar calmness that he was used to. He could smell the scent of things living, things growing--as refined and different the exotic floras on the castle grounds were, they were still plants, blossoming with the scent of the outdoors. Link glanced around his surroundings, his sharp eyes not missing a single detail. After he was sure there was no one nearby, he removed his green cap and gently shook out the long locks golden blonde hair hidden underneath. He ruffled his hair as if to shake out all the rigid formality and stiffness of the castle, and then carefully slipped on his cap again. He walked away from the door, out of the shaded archway tunnel that served as the entrance to the inner courtyard of the castle.  
  
The castle courtyards were tended to very carefully by the hands of many skilled gardeners. They were a great source of pride for the Royal Family. Gentle flowers of every colour blossomed in the sunlight, letting loose their sweet scents into the air. Assorted vines curled around wooden stakes set in the ground for them, around the nearby walls of the castle, and around themselves, creating an elegant look, as if an invisible hand had molded them into their positions. But as beautiful as the gardens were, as often as they were boasted of by the inhabitants of the castle, there was only one person sitting in the sunlight, among the flowers when he arrived.  
  
And as Link approached her, he noticed that she was not enjoying the flowers either. Instead, she was merely kneeling on the ground, staring into the distance with eyes that showed she was not really seeing. Lost in thought, with a face as pale as porcelain. Link's sharp eyes could spot tiny spots of liquid still remaining on her face, doubtlessly the remnants from a flood of earlier tears. She had not seen him yet, had not heard his soft footsteps approaching. He felt uncomfortable that he could observe her like this without her knowing, felt that it was wrong somehow, and coughed loudly to catch her attention.  
  
"...Zelda? Are you alright, Princess?"  
  
~~~~~  
  
The loud words pulled her mind back into consciousness, and Zelda stood up hurriedly, brushing away her tears with one hand and smoothing her dress with another, hoping that no one had noticed her crying. The princess' usual mask of formality had already slipped halfway onto her face before Zelda realized that it was Link who was standing before her. Her heart gave a sudden leap of hope that dashed her mask into a million shards.  
  
"Link! Oh, you're here... Thank goodness!" Link's face creased into a small and bashful smile, showing that he was glad that he was needed. Sweet and innocent as always. There was something about the way the sun shone down on his golden hair, something about the spirit that radiated from his entire strong figure that made her warm and happy again.  
  
Link knelt down on one knee obediently and she stretched out one gloved hand to him. It was received gently in his gauntleted hands, and kissed tenderly by his lips. Link remained kneeling until she touched his right shoulder, a signal for him to stand. This was a small ritual they had--and certainly, something she would never have forced him to do, but rather, something he insisted on carrying out. He had preformed it out like a beloved tradition every time they had met, ever since the day they had sealed the Evil King, so long ago. And although Zelda had never tried to complain, she couldn't help thinking every single time that Link treated her as an object of admiration, of adoration, something he felt was above his own status. It made her slightly bewildered to be treated with such respect, by a person. A courtesy given not out of necessity like the flattery the men at court paid her, but a genuine feeling from the heart given because of a true caring for her. Zelda took Link's hands in her smaller ones, and the Princess and the Hero simply stood together for a moment, merely enjoying each other's presence. However, the silence soon seemed to overwhelm Link, and he decided to speak up again.  
  
"What's the matter, Zelda?"  
  
So he had noticed her tears. Zelda smiled and caressed his fingers gently. It was so sweet of him to care so much for her, that he was so truly dedicated to making her feel better. She glanced into his brilliant blue eyes, letting him know that she was fine.  
  
"Nothing's different, Link... The castle is as dull and corrupt as ever. It's just that I was thinking about you, missing you... And I'm glad you're here with me now." Zelda smiled cheerfully as she watched his face, saw him carefully work out a response.  
  
  
  
"I'll stay by your side, Princess. I'll make sure you're always alright, I promise."  
  
At his sincere words, Zelda's feelings surged over her soul. Her heart overflowed with the thoughts she had hidden within for so long, and as undignified and sudden as it was, she closed the small space between them and buried herself in his chest, held onto him tightly. Link didn't pull away. She rested her head there, breathing in his scent, the smell of the outdoors, felt a sense of peace.  
  
"I love you, Link." Zelda whispered, and she meant it from her heart. She was glad that she had finally been able to tell him how she truly felt, instead of bottling up her emotions deep inside. Zelda waited and hoped for those words to be returned to her with equal feeling from her friend's mouth, but instead, there was silence. Link was hesitating, and with every second he paused, her heart grew more and more tense. He was searching for the words that would be the most truthful and honest, and without hearing them, Zelda now knew what they would be.  
  
"I care deeply for you, Princess." Her heart came to a sudden painful halt. It just wasn't the same. Zelda closed her eyes and remained leaning against Link's warm body. She felt her mind racing ahead of her, informing her about the options she could choose.  
  
Two paths. She could either bind him to her with her next words, or allow him to go away. If she asked him to stay, Zelda knew he would agree to remain by her side. She could be miserable or happy. Link could learn to love her, and she knew over time he would. But would he ever grow accustomed to court life? Could a bird robbed of flight ever enjoy its life again? Her mind argued with her heart, pointing out that he had already pledged his dedication.  
  
Zelda paused for a moment, simply enjoying the feeling of being held by the one she loved so dearly. She had made her decision. The princess re-opened her crystal blue eyes and brushed away the dreaded emotions that threatened to pour out of her soul. Her face became frozen under a mask again, for fear that she would start crying again if she allowed herself any sign of weakness. Gently, she pushed herself away from Link's arms.  
  
"But you don't know if you feel love." It wasn't a question, merely a very obvious statement in reply to Link's earlier words. Zelda allowed her to flash a painful smile. "You'll never be happy in the castle, with such a formal life, and you're unsure if you really feel that way towards me." She paused for a moment, pleading silently that Link would tell her she was mistaken, yet knowing that he would not. "I know that you care about me, Link. And perhaps after a while you'd really grow to love me, but I know you'll never love the way that I must live."  
  
Link's face flushed a light red colour, and he began to stutter out a response. It was almost like this scene had all been rehearsed; that it was all part of a play she had seen before. Because of his honesty and his unwillingness to harm her, Zelda knew that he would not be able to speak out any words at all. So, instead of waiting for another attempt, Zelda motioned to the walls and spoke again.  
  
"This place is a prison, Link... and you don't have to be here."  
  
"But I want to protect you, to make sure that you're alright." It was a weak protest, the words of a little child compared to what she was saying. Now that Zelda had made a decision, she was determined to carry it out. She knew the words that would make him feel comforted, would make him go away in peace.  
  
"I can live quite well, my knight, knowing that you are happy."  
  
Her voice was quiet and cracked, and there was an obvious strain to it that was unable hide the lying tones inside. Only half of Zelda's words were true; she wanted Link to be happy, knew that she would be content if he was. But she didn't know how long she could last without him by her side. Still, as fake as her voice sounded, Link was unable to deny her words. If he did, Link would be admitting that she, the Princess of Hyrule was lying-- something else the Hylian boy seemed unable to do in his strange devotion. Link reluctantly nodded to acknowledge her words and stood there, not knowing what else to do.  
  
Zelda twisted her hands together, and whispered in a low voice that was barely audible. She didn't know if she really wanted Link to hear what she had had to say. "Please go. Don't make it harder for me than it already is."  
  
"Thank you, Princess." Link paused stiffly, preformed a makeshift bow, and then turned to leave. Her heart pounded despairingly in her chest, refused to have him leave in such a manner. Zelda called out his name again.  
  
"Link."  
  
Her knight turned around, to look at her with sad and humble eyes. Even though she was granting his freedom, Zelda knew that Link still felt as if he had been rudely dismissed, had gone through a dishonourable discharge. She forced herself to smile slightly, and to raise a hand to wave goodbye.  
  
"Farewell, Link." Her voice was gentle, and slowly eased the pained look out of the Hero's face. He understood, now. Another thought flashed in Zelda's mind, a memory of the stranger she had met earlier in the morning. She pondered for a moment before she spoke her thoughts into words. "I know... I know someone else is waiting for you outside, Link. Someone who loves you just as much as I do, if not more."  
  
The slight red tint at Link's ears showed that he understood her words once again. Zelda now had a sad confirmation that she had done the right thing. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as she heard his voice one last time.  
  
"Goodbye, Zelda." Link whispered, and he made as if to leave. But once more, the knight swung around and paused to glance at her face to make sure she was alright. Zelda looked deep into Link's eyes, and showed him that she was truly happy at decision. Link nodded, and then with a sudden movement that she could barely track with her eyes, he leaned close to her, grabbed her into a quick hug and brushed a light kiss onto her lips. And before she could say or do anything to respond to his actions, he was gone.  
  
Zelda smiled sadly, bittersweet welling in her eyes. She would try her best to survive, to make do without her knight. Her heart was now fueled by his happiness, and the knowledge that she had done the right thing once more. The princess sighed, and was reminded of the dream that had awakened her in the morning. Prophetic, as usual. Like her dream self, Zelda whispered to the emptiness of the courtyard that surrounded her.  
  
"Farewell, my love...and thank you for the brief joy you brought to my life. I shall always remember this brief moment in time, and cherish it..."  
  
~~~~~  
  
The first stars were making their nightly appearance in the heavens when Malon once more made her way out of the stables. To the west, the sun was slowly setting, announcing the end of the day. With a small sigh, the ranch- girl made her way to the pasture fields, where she could still catch a glimpse of the reddish orb magnificently colouring the rest of the velvet sky. There was a repetitive noise growing to her right, a sound so familiar that at first she did not bother to turn around to see. Horses hooves, traveling at a rapid pace. But then Malon realized that all of the horses had been stabled and settled in for the evening long ago, and she glanced around to locate the sound of the hooves.  
  
It was Epona, and on her back, her anxious looking rider. Malon smiled slightly to welcome the two newcomers, and even though her heart had begun to pound anxiously in her chest, she turned back to glance at the sunset. Behind her, she could hear Link's heavy breath as he dismounted from Epona, patted the horse lightly a few times and then come to stand close beside her.  
  
"I'm sorry I'm late."  
  
The last edge of the sun finally sank below the horizon, leaving behind a faint orange glow in the sky. After all of it had disappeared from sight, Malon turned to look at Link. His features were still barely visible in the twilight, the edges of his tunic and of his cap, and his bright and serious eyes that instantly made her melt to forgive him.  
  
"You came just like you promised, so I'm happy." Her words were quite comforting, but inside, Malon was still struck with disbelief, wondering why Link had come to the ranch. Link must have caught her silent question, for he shifted uncomfortably for a second and then spoke to explain to her.  
  
"Zelda let me go. She told me to leave."  
  
"Your decision to come here wasn't influenced by the Princess though, I hope?" The faintest flash of anger stubbornly shone through her voice. He was here because another woman threw him away?  
  
"It isn't like that at all, Malon." Once again, Link seemed to read her mind and the unspoken questions that she had. It was almost unnerving. "Zelda set me free, told me that I didn't need about to worry about her. And the choices I've made are entirely my own." She heard Link reach forward, and then felt his strong hands cupping around her jaw as he continued to speak now, in a lower, deeper voice. "And I've decided... I've realized that I want to be with you, Malon."  
  
It was as if the clouds had parted to show sunshine on a rainy day. Her heart gave a great leap of joy that instantly put her back into a cheerful mood. Malon pursed her lips, squinted her eyes, and jabbed her fingers skillfully through the darkness. A yelp from Link informed her that she had successfully poked his nose. But before Link could even think about complaining, Malon leaped into his arms, jumping and giggling and squirming with joy. "I knew it, I just knew it, Fairy Boy!" Link was baffled, but in a few seconds he soon joined in her cheerful laughter.  
  
"So you feel the same way too?" There was actually disbelief in his voice.  
  
"Of course I do, you great big oaf! I've been waiting for you to tell me for the longest time!"  
  
Even in the darkness, Malon could see Link's smile. He swung her into his arms, and leaned his face close to hers. "Tell it to me then, Malon. Tell me how you feel."  
  
Although she was still in quite a teasing mood, Malon was also quite serious now. The words that she was about to say would change her entire life. Malon took a deep breath and another long pause for suspense before she tried to voice her emotions. When she felt that she was ready, and that Link couldn't possibly wait any longer, she whispered out to him. "I love you.... Fairy Boy." She giggled and decided to be merciful and call him by his real name for once. "I love you, Link."  
  
Link leaned closer, so that she could now feel his nose on hers, the pulsing of his heart in rhythm with hers, and his full body pressing against her own. One hand gently caressed the side of her face, while she could feel the other running through her long crimson hair.  
  
"I love you too, Malon." Link whispered. And then his lips met hers in a long and passionate kiss, one that seemed to last an eternity and yet was still too short. Their mouths were only separated when a quiet whinny was heard across the pastures, and they moved in union, hand in hand and quietly whispering and laughing to each other, to move Epona to the stables and to go into the warm and beckoning farmhouse nearby. 


End file.
